New York State Police Will Be Cracking Down On This In April

There's a new statewide plan targeting drivers in an effort to stop thousands of senseless deaths a year. State Troopers will be looking for and aggressively ticketing drivers who are using cell phones and other handheld devices.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and according to a New York State Police press release, Operation Hang Up will be taking place from Thursday, April 12 to Monday, April 16, 2018. That means marked and unmarked police vehicles will be cracking down on this offense, and the fines aren't cheap.

• For a first offense, the minimum fine is $50 and the maximum is $200
• A second offense in 18 months increases the maximum fine to $250
• A third offense in 18 months results in a maximum fine of $450
• Probationary and junior drivers face a 120-day suspension of their license for a first offense, and one-year revocation of their permit or license if a second offense is committed within six months. (NYSPnews.com)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that 3450 people were killed in the US in distracted driving related crashes in 2016 alone. Last year during the NY State Police operation, over 2000 tickets were issued. So do yourself a favor and put the phone away while driving.

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